5 minutes with…Marco Faraone

/// You were born in Tuscany and your father was a DJ in the 1980’s but your grandfather was a folk singer and musician. Can you tell us what your musical upbringing was like? How has it shaped you to become the artist that you are today?

I started DJ’ing when I was very young, I was 14, so it’s exactly 15 years ago.

As you mentioned, my father was a DJ and radio music selector back in the 80’s so when I started I had a beautiful collection of records from that time, all amazing music. My grandpa was also an amazing musician and singer. I’ve always been around music since I born, even though it was very different from house and techno it somehow influenced me. I always try to bring my roots and what I learn into my music, it’s like a journey, a natural evolution for me. The sound that I loved to play at the beginning (when I started DJ’ing as hobby) was hip hop – it was very easy for me to find second hand cheap records in a small market close to my house. But in Lucca, the small city where I lived with my parents, there were no record stores, the nearest one was in Florence and I needed a car to go. I didn’t have much money, I was still going to school, so everything I had was going into music and my first cheap equipment 🙂 … after a few years I was a bit bored of the same sound and I became fascinated by the Drum ‘n’ Bass scene, probably because it was faster and let’s say more groovy, so I played this genre for 2 years. Every day I was growing and I evolved my sound constantly, until the day that, with some of my friends, I went to some clubs nearby and I discovered house music and I started buying some records from the likes of Masters at Work. At that time house music was bigger than techno in Italy so I was more influenced from that kind of sound in that period of my life.

/// What was the electronic music scene like in Tuscany whilst you were growing up? Has it undergone many changes/developments for better or for worse?

We had a very big house music moment, techno was about to come. I would say that around 2008 we had a big moment with the minimal sound, it was something alternative when the house music scene was over saturated. You know the music scene and the sound always changes when people, DJs and promoters are looking for something new or they just get bored of the same sound. In Tuscany the clubs that really influenced me musically are Tenax which is still open after 35 years of success and then KamaKama and Frau Marleen, that have sadly been closed for years. These 3 clubs, but especially Tenax are the ones who really influenced the sound of my area, bringing DJ’s from all over the world it was a real schooling for me.

/// Have you performed in Newcastle before? Do you have any memories or perceptions of the city?

Maybe you won’t believe it, but this is going to be my first time in Newcastle!!! I’ve been playing in UK so many times but never had the pleasure to play there, I heard many good things about the scene there and the people! I can’t wait!

/// Shindig is celebrating its 25-year anniversary this year. Can you tell us about any major similarities and or differences between the UK underground scenes in the UK and Italy? Is there anything that two can learn from each other?

Tenax is one of them, in Italy we also have some other legendary clubs like Cocoricó and il Muretto that are playing the game since more than 30 years! Its so beautiful that the passion and the love for the music, in this case of a club, can bring you so far! Some clubs were open and on fire and I was not even born! Ok, now I feel young 🙂

For the upcoming artist who is looking to breakthrough, do you feel it’s more important to focus on studio work, or relentlessly tour and network?

The key is the music and producing in the studio. This was the thing that gave me the opportunity and the chance to start playing around. When I started DJ’ing I was not even thinking to play out of my bedroom, but if you work constantly and believe in your dreams soon or later something is gonna happen. In Italian we say “la fortuna aiuta gli audaci”, “luck will help people who work hard for their goals”. Social media is important today but you must have something important to post there, not just bullshit or when you go to have dinner at the restaurant 🙂 music first!

/// Focusing on Ibiza, do you think in the next 5-10 years the island will still be as significant to dance music as it is today? What’s your opinion on emerging scenes for festivals/events in the likes of Croatia and Malta?

My opinion is that in Ibiza the people are completely changed. I’m not a guru but I’ve been going to Ibiza for almost 10 years and I feel the change. The island became too expensive in every sense and many people especially the clubbers and those who really love the music are not going there as much as before. They try to discover different places, less VIP tables, more music. Croatia is for sure growing and will get bigger and bigger in the next years, Gallipoli in the south of Italy is exploding (have a look at the line ups), almost the same as Ibiza in august. Music must be for everybody, not only for rich people.

/// Do you have any tips for the next generation of DJ/producers of how to maintain longevity in the industry?

Make music constantly on labels who really trust you, always be yourself and humble.

Keep your feet on the ground and don’t fly too much 🙂

/// How important is it for an artist to establish their own individual identity/style early on? Do you feel it could have a negative effect for someone to go against the grain/current trends?

I think that is always good to take the risk, who knows? Music is about emotions and if you do something that people will love is indeed good. I’m very open musically, I listen to everything from techno to jazz and rock. I produced an album some years ago called “I will wait”, completely different than what I normally do musically. I didn’t really care about the comments. This is what I felt like doing and I did it. People who loves and support you will appreciate it anyway.

/// Do you feel that House and Techno plays a more important cultural role in society in 2017 in Europe compared to in the early stages of your career? If so, why?

The thing that radically changed since the beginning of my career is the web impact. Besides the loads of garbage you can find online, people are generally more informed , knowledge of music is today wider and of course house and techno releases are deeply checked from music lovers from the beginning to nowadays so yes I guess it is playing a bigger cultural role.

/// Please tell us what you have coming up on your label, UNCAGE Music?

The label is growing amazingly, step by step.

Me and my partner Norman Methner are always very selective and good things need time 🙂 We already have had the pleasure to have released amazing artist like Radio Slave, Nick Hoppner, Markus Suckut, Eduardo de la calle, Marcel Fengler, Regen and even some new upcoming talents like Hertz Collision, Corcos, Black Stone, Kas:St and more! Upcoming music and remixes from Branko Stojanov, Skudge, Deepbass, Shlømo is on the way to be released. And maybe some good surprises that you’ll see very soon.